Writing, Writing, Writing

For having just started a new phase of life this week, I’ve been doing a surprising amount of writing. I’m grateful for that, but also can’t help wondering… have I over-goaled myself again?

I have a dream to be a published fiction author. Along with that dream I have one of posting regularly on a personal blog and keeping up with a reading one. Well, I currently keep up with two out of three of those goals. Unfortunately, spending so much time on the personal and reading blogs makes it harder to have time left over for the fiction.

According to the Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, the principles of which have begun governing my life, time should be spent on the most important things first. The ones with the greatest lasting benefits. My fiction writing has a greater lasting benefit than my blogs. Fact.

But, if I miss a day writing fiction it won’t necessarily matter whereas missing one blog would. (This is assuming I had readers who came to my site regularly, looking for content.) I know the importance of posting regularly.

So I’m faced with a dilemma. I always am when it comes to organizing my time. Do I write or do I blog?

This may not seem like a huge or important issue to you, but I can guarantee you’ve experienced the same chess game, with slightly different pieces.

Unfortunately I don’t have an answer. Honestly, I was hoping you would. But I can present a list of questions.

Which one is more important to you?

Which one has more lasting benefits?

Which one is more urgent?

Which one will fulfill you more?

Maybe it’s just a season in life in which the side-project must be shelved in order to spend more time with your children. Or maybe you’re juggling two equally important tasks and must, therefore, spend a little less time on each so that you can complete both.

I’m going to use the piece of advice I almost always give when people come to me with relationship problems. (Seriously, why do people come to me with relationship problems? I’m not qualified to give that kind of advice!)

Just wait it out.

You’ve identified a problem, which is a good step, but now it’s time to figure out how to deal with that problem. Maybe after a short period of close observation the answer will become clear.